


We Believe You

by mysticalflute



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-09
Updated: 2013-08-09
Packaged: 2017-12-18 04:38:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/875728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysticalflute/pseuds/mysticalflute
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Left scarred from his time in Storybrooke, Maine, a town he keeps being told doesn't exist, Owen Flynn feels like he's insane. When he meets the equally-considered insane Mary-Margaret and David, he finds that maybe he's not so insane after all... A.U. Snow/Charming, eventual Emma/Neal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Escape

"The Queen has created a powerful curse," Rumpelstiltskin said. "One that will rip us from this land and send us to another. It will rip us apart, cursing us to live in a loop for all eternity. No more happy endings."

Snow White gasped in horror as she stared at their prisoner imp. No more happy endings? How could they live like that?

"How do we stop it?" her husband, Prince David (or, James if you were everyone else in the kingdom. Or Charming) asked, clearly just as shaken as she was about the thought of the curse.

"We don't. It's too late to stop the curse. But all curses can be broken," the imp replied, reaching through the bars and reaching at Snow's stomach. "That little thing in your belly. That is the key to breaking the curse."

"Our child?" she whispered as Charming smacked the hand away.

"On the child's eighteenth birthday, she will return to us, and break our curse," Rumpelstiltskin said, withdrawing his hand and frowning a little. "But I see something else… a way for you two to escape. A tree. An enchanted tree."

"A tree?" Snow asked. "And… the three of us can stay together?"

Rumpelstiltskin nodded. "Indeed, dearie." He smirked a little. "It will be amusing to see the Queen when she realizes you are not there."

Snow let out a breath of relief. She would be able to raise her child. Her daughter, as Rumpelstiltskin confirmed for them.

"What is your price? This is a lot of information Rumpelstiltskin," Snow said softly.

"Her name," he said. "All I want is her name."

Snow looked at Charming, who returned the look, before she stroked her stomach softly. "Emma. Her name is Emma."

* * *

"The Tree is enchanted… but it can only hold two," the Blue Fairy told them as they stood in front of the newly completed wardrobe.

Snow White's hand stroked her stomach as she gazed nervously at the thing that would get she and Charming to safety – to the other land before the curse hit and took them away, ripping them apart. She knew that was what Regina wanted, and she would never allow that to happen. But…

She didn't want to leave her friends. The dwarves, and Red and Granny, had become a family to her when she had lost her mother and her father to the Queen's wrath.

It was because of her, she knew it. She never should have told Cora that Regina was in love with someone else, but she couldn't stand to see Regina unhappy. She understood revenge, but this curse, one that was going to rip them to a land without happy endings… was too much for her to stand.

"So we go together," Charming said, squeezing her hand. "But what about the rest of you?"

Snow nodded in agreement, and looked at Red, her best friend. Leaving her would be the hardest part of this.

"Snow, don't worry about us," Red told her, obviously reading her mind. "Please. You and Charming need to go together, so you can come back and save us."

"But Red… this might kill you."

"It's simply a curse," she said. "And all curses can be broken. This one included. We will be okay, but you need to be safe."

"We must hurry," the Blue Fairy said. "Before the Evil Queen knows you're gone."

Snow felt tears stream down her cheeks as she hugged Red and Granny tight, not wanting them to go.

"You'll come back to us Snow, we know it," Granny said. "Now go. Hurry."

She felt Charming's arm wrap around her, guiding her to the open door of the wardrobe. It was small, but they managed to fit.

"Good luck Snow, Charming," Granny said. "We'll be here waiting for your return."

Gepetto closed the door, and Snow cried out as a light surrounded she and Charming, transporting them somewhere they didn't know.

Her eyes had fallen closed tight as she'd curled tight into her husband. Opening them slowly, she gazed around. They were in a tree again.

"Did… did it work?" she asked, looking into her husband's eyes.

"I don't know," Charming said, holding her close and reaching for the door. Pushing it open, Snow saw that they were in a forest, and not their palace.

"We're here," she whispered. "It worked."

But now where did they go?

Charming stepped out of the wardrobe and helped her down.

"A forest… good to know that our worlds aren't completely different," he muttered.

At least they hadn't wound up in a desert, or floating around somewhere without the ability to get to the ground.

A rumbling from the sky had them both crying out and ducking, trying to get back into the tree. There was something big, metal looking, flying overhead, and Snow didn't want to know what it was or how it worked.

But they were both blasted back.

There was no way for them to get home until the curse broke.

Charming stood, helping her back up. "Let's go see if we can find a village or something. We should also find some clothing to help us blend in better… just in case this world is different."

* * *

"We have to go get Dad!" Owen said to his uncle. "He needs our help!"

Uncle Paul sighed and shook his head. "Owen, how many times do you have to be told? Storybrooke does not exist. This is the third week you've said this. We've already sent police officers out there, and they have come back with nothing. No pictures of a town. No sign of your father. Nothing. Now what really happened to him? Did he get hurt while you were camping?"

"I already told you yes! Someone kept trying to arrest him and they wouldn't let him go!"

He had trusted Mayor Mills, looked up to her as a friend, but instead she took his father away from him. Why couldn't she have let him go with him? She knew that he'd lost his mother. Why did she have to take his father away from him too?

It had been a few weeks since he and his father had gone on their camping trip, before finding that town in the middle of the woods –that _had_ been woods the night before-, and Owen was feeling less and less confident that anything really had happened. Maybe he was insane like the doctors were trying to tell him.

No. His father never would have left him like that. His father would have been found, even if he had died. Storybrooke had to be there. It just had to be.

But if he couldn't find anyone to believe him, how could he get there? How could he save his father?

"Come on Owen. It's time for your therapist appointment."

Sighing, Owen stood and followed Uncle Paul out to the car.


	2. Adjust

Her feet were tired from walking so long. It wasn't good for her to be up and walking around so much, Doc had said so.

But they needed to find shelter. Of course, she knew how to build them, but Charming had insisted that they weren't sleeping in the woods tonight thanks to her pregnancy. They needed to find a town to eat, to change clothes, if need be, to figure out where they were, and how to survive in this world.

"There's a village," he said. "We're almost there Snow."

She nodded. "I see it. Thank Gods. I don't think I'd be able to deal with this much longer." Emma had decided that today was a good day to remind Snow what seemed like every five minutes that she was still inside of her, wanting to get out.

"Snow, look. That building says 'shelter,'" Charming said. "We should go there. Maybe they'll know what to do."

Snow nodded, thankful that they'd found something.

When they went inside, they were greeted by a woman, who looked a little taken aback at their appearance.

"Can I… can I help you?" the woman asked.

"We're in need of some help. We got… separated from our friends and we don't know where we are. We've been wandering the woods for… days trying to find them, but we can't," Charming explained.

"Oh I see…" the woman replied. "Well, you're welcome to stay until you're able to get back on your feet. I just need your names."

"David… and my wife Sn-"

"Mary-Margaret," Snow said easily, remembering the fake name she had used when she'd first met Red and Granny.

The woman nodded and wrote down their names, handing them a key. "You can stay in room sixteen. There is a schedule of the meals, and there will be some clothing delivered on Saturday for you to have."

Snow glanced at the calendar hanging near the woman's hand. Today was 'Tuesday'. She wondered how many days there were until 'Saturday'.

"Thank you," Charming said, taking Snow's hand and leading her to the room the woman had instructed.

At least numbers seemed to be the same. The room was small, though Snow didn't care. It was indoors, and they would be able to eat something, and there was a double bed for she and Charming – a far cry from where they had been only a few days before.

"What are we going to do now?" she whispered.

"Try to survive, of course…" was his reply. "The woman said we could stay here as long as we need until we can 'get back on our feet'." Whatever that meant.

"What about our baby? What if there isn't someone who knows how to deliver her?" Snow asked, shaking a little. She was scared, she would admit that. She had been a fighter in the Enchanted Forest, but this was something different. This world wasn't a place she knew. She didn't know how to… behave here, or who to trust other than Charming.

"Snow… I promise you, as long as we're together, we can get through anything," Charming replied. "Just trust me."

Normally Charming's words comforted her when she was scared, but not this time. Not when they were in an unfamiliar world without their friends and allies.

"How?" she asked, feeling Emma kick against her hand. "There's so many things to adjust to…"

"I know," Charming replied. "Believe me, I know, but just because we are in a new world does not mean we will be torn apart. We won't. True love always wins."

True love always won. How could she believe that though, when their world was going to be ripped apart?

* * *

"Now Owen," Doctor Jones said with a slight sigh. "You need to tell me what you're thinking so I can treat you."

Owen sat in the psychiatrist's office, motionless, silent. The last time he said something, the doctor had tried to prescribe him medication that he said would take the delusions away… but how did you get rid of something that actually happened?

"Owen, please."

"No. You're just going to make me feel like I'm crazy. I told you already, my dad needs help, but no one will help me!" he replied. There _had_ to be a way back into Storybrooke, there just had to be. He knew what the truth was – and he would help his father, save him from Regina.

"Owen, you're clearly scarred from your father leaving you, and my diagnosis is that you – "

But Owen wasn't paying one bit of attention to the doctor. He didn't want the diagnosis. His father hadn't left him on purpose – Regina had captured him, and he needed help, but what could a ten year old do without someone helping him? And with everyone thinking he was insane? Well, he was in trouble.

"Do you understand, Owen? One pill a day for a month and we'll see where you are after that time is up," Doctor Jones said.

He had no plans to take anything, but he nodded to get the doctor to end the conversation. "Yes sir."

"Good. I'll write up the prescription now. I believe that concludes our session. Your uncle should still be here, right?"

Owen shrugged. "Probably." It was their day to volunteer at the homeless shelter after all. Sometimes his uncle liked to go there to look at possible help for the farm. Not that he ever found anyone that was willing to work on a farm (which Owen didn't understand), but even so, they went. It was nice to be able to try and help people.

"Alright," Doctor Jones said, writing something down and ripping it off the notepad. "Here you are. Be sure to take this to him."

Owen would do what he asked, because if he didn't, his uncle would find out that he wanted him to be medicated. Again.

Hopefully he would be a good enough actor to get both of them off his back when the month was up.

"Uncle Paul," he said when he stepped out of the room and back into the waiting room. "I'm ready to go."

His uncle stood up and nodded, looking at the doctor, who had followed Owen out. "Anything new?"

"No, nothing… but I did recommend he try a new medication, just to see what will happen."

God it was like he was a mental patient or something. He wasn't a science experiment, he was a boy who needed help. To save his Dad.

Eventually, he and Uncle Paul left, going to the familiar homeless shelter to see who, if anyone, wanted to come work for them on the farm.

* * *

"Well Mrs. White, it seems that the baby is perfectly healthy, and you should anticipate it's – "

"Her," Snow corrected, looking at the doctor. "David and I already found out the gender."

The shelter had been kind enough to bring in a doctor, and something called a dentist (a teeth doctor, as they'd figured out) to check them out and make sure they were healthy. Thankfully for both of them, they didn't have to answer any awkward questions about their health. It had been a few weeks since their arrival in this land, and she felt like she and Charming were fitting in as well as they could.

The clothing, well… she still wasn't sure if anyone believed them when they said they had been at costume parties and gotten turned around.

The doctor smiled. "Her, then. Her arrival in under a week. You could go into labor at any day, so be prepared."

Snow nodded. "We will sir. Thank you."

"No problem…" The doctor stood, undoing the straps that were around her swollen stomach, the machine she was attached to actually able to see _inside_ and Charming had actually been able to see Emma, and when the man had told them they could get a photograph of the… 'ultrasound', they had eagerly agreed.

She just hoped they didn't look too amazed at it for it to be suspicious.

Charming helped her stand up, and he smiled as he looked at the photograph of Emma again. "There she is. Our savior."

Snow nodded, smiling for the first time since they'd arrived in this world. "Our little savior."

* * *

Regina strode furiously into Rumpelstiltskin's shop.

"How the hell did Snow White escape?" she asked, glaring at him as she leaned her palms against the glass countertop.

The man stared at her, confused. "Well, it's been years since I've read the story but from what I remember, she runs away from the Evil Queen and is helped by forest animals and dwarves after she's granted safety by The Huntsman."

She stared back at him.

He really didn't remember his life from the Enchanted Forest. He couldn't help her find Snow White.

Saying nothing else, Regina left again, half tempted to punch her fist through the door.

She had a man from this world that was mostly innocent, but not the bitch who had caused her to cast the curse.

So much for a happy ending.


	3. Work

By 'any day', she hadn't anticipated Emma to arrive so soon after the doctor left the shelter. Just a few hours later, Snow had realized what those pains meant, and had cried out to Charming, who'd grabbed the woman working, who had called for the doctor, who had arrived quickly. She had wanted to cry all through the labor, because while the doctor was kind, it wasn't her Doc, or her Johanna. Thankfully, it appeared that women crying during labor was something the people here were used to, and they had let her cry without questioning why.

Finally, Emma was in her arms, wrapped in the blanket they'd managed to smuggle into this world from the Enchanted Forest. Emma looked as beautiful as Snow had imagined her to look.

"She's finally here," she whispered. "Our little girl, David."

"Our Princess. Our savior," he replied as the doctor left the room, having checked both of them over and given them both clean bills of health. A relief, considering the amount of stress she had been feeling over the past… well, two months or so.

Snow smiled, holding the daughter she never thought she'd have close. "Hi Emma," she whispered. "I'm your mommy…"

Emma's light eyes stared up at her, the little girl letting out a soft noise as she snuggled into her arms.

* * *

Emma was a couple weeks old now, and Snow couldn't believe how beautiful she was. Each and every little move the girl made, and noise that came from her mouth was completely fascinating to her. Even when Emma cried, Snow was completely fascinated by her.

"Charming, come here," Snow said, frowning a little as she looked at the books they were allowed to take out of the 'shelter' for themselves. One in particular had caught her eye – titled _Once Upon a Time_. It looked like a children's book – heavy and big, but when she'd flipped through it, she noticed something she hadn't expected.

They were in the book. Their _story_ was in the book.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, sitting next to her on their bed.

"Look at this…" she whispered, not wanting anyone that could have been passing by to hear. "We're in this book. This is our story."

He stared at her, yanking the book off her lap and flipping through it. "How?"

"What if it's a sign? We know that we… are characters here. What if this is a sign that will lead us to them?" Snow said. "This can help us get Emma to believe that this is real." She had faced the fact that if she ran around telling people she was Snow White, that they would laugh and threaten to send her somewhere.

They had stopped mentioning it since.

"We'll have to be careful though… we know how people I this world react to people thinking that 'childhood characters' don't exist," Charming replied softly. "Though, this book is amazing… much more accurate than some of the other books out there."

Snow nodded, before she looked up at the clock. "It's almost meal time… we should go."

She moved the book under her pillow, lifted up Emma, and the small family went down to the dining room.

* * *

Owen sighed as they entered the shelter. He liked coming here and trying to help people out, but now that he was supposed to be medicated like… some animal, he didn't want to do much of anything except run away and not look back. He could find Storybrooke himself, right? He just needed to get back to Maine.

Looking around, he saw his uncle talking to the lady that ran the place, and she was smiling for once. Maybe this trip wouldn't be just another wasted afternoon looking for farm help after all.

"David White?" she called suddenly. A blonde haired man, who'd been sitting next to a woman holding a baby looked up at the call, and walked over to her as Owen did the same, standing next to his uncle.

"Yes?" the man asked, looking at her.

"You said you had experience in… farm work, right?"

The man –David- nodded. "I do indeed. I grew up on one."

Owen smiled. Finally, they'd found someone that knew farm work.

"This is Paul Flynn. He's a farmer outside of town and he's looking to find some help on his farm would you and your wife be interested?" the woman asked him.

Owen thought he saw something flicker in the man's eyes, but he couldn't tell what exactly it meant.

"That would be great," he replied. "Really, really great but… would we have housing and food and things like that?"

His uncle frowned. "Didn't you say you grew up on a farm?"

The man nodded again. "Yes, but we were… a small family farm. We didn't have any outside help. It was just my mother and I."

"Ah I see," Uncle Paul said. "Don't worry. I'll show you around, help you figure out how to work the machines… but yeah, you'll have a small cottage on the grounds outside of our house. We wouldn't make our workers sleep in the fields!"

Owen frowned a little as he looked at the man, who seemed confused at what the word 'machine' meant, but even so, he was relieved that the man was willing to learn and work with them on the farm.

The man nodded. "Alright then," he replied. "Thank you so much. I would be glad to help you work. My wife just had a baby so… we need more space than what we have here."

Uncle Paul laughed. "Don't worry, you'll have space."

David smiled. "Thank you so much… I'll go talk to her now."

Owen watched as the man moved back to his wife. He saw the woman's face light up in joy, standing up and coming close to he and his uncle, the baby in her arms.

"We cannot thank you enough for this…" she said, almost breathless. "Really, we can't."

His uncle smiled. "It's no trouble. Thank you for agreeing to help us out. We've been looking for a while. It's a miracle that your husband actually has experience."

The woman smiled, an aura about her. She was beautiful, almost other-worldly, and something about her made Owen comfortable around her, even though he had just met her.

"Sometimes things just fall into place," she said. "When do we leave?"

Uncle Paul thought for a moment. "Well… I think Owen and I can get the cottage set up in about three days. Not like we need to build the thing from the ground up."

Owen could only imagine how long _that_ would take. Thank God they didn't have to do that.

"Alright. Three days…" she replied. "I'm Mary-Margaret, and this is our daughter Emma."

He looked at the baby in her arms and smiled a little – it was clearly a girl, wrapped in a purple blanket. "She's cute," he told the woman.

Mary-Margaret smiled. "Thank you… her name is Emma."

Owen couldn't help but keep up the smile, the first genuine one he'd had in days. There was something so warm and genuine about her that he'd never seen before, out of any woman – aside from his own mother.

His uncle's hand clamping down on his shoulder pulled him from his thoughts.

"Alright, we'll be back on Thursday to pick you folks up," Paul said with another smile directed at the young couple, before Owen was led out of the shelter and back into the harsh realities once again.


	4. Leaving

Snow put the book into a bag with the rest of the supplies that had been donated to them from some people in the area. People could be very kind in this world, and while Snow appreciated it very much, she knew this still wasn't home. People treated her like she was crazy for believing she was Snow White, who was apparently just a character here. She had to be fake just to avoid being put into something called a 'mental hospital'. Snow didn't know what that was, and she didn't want to.

They had to act, and Snow was already tired of it – they'd only been here for nearly two months, and she already wanted to go home. She didn't know how she would make it eighteen years, until they would finally be able to see their friends again.

"Snow, Paul will be here soon… are you almost ready to go?" she heard Charming ask.

She straightened up and turned to him. "Nearly ready… I have to make sure Emma's changed."

"I already did," Charming replied. "While you were packing. She's fine now."

Snow gazed at him, before noticing their small daughter in a carrier at Charming's side, and gave him a relieved smile.

She watched him tug uncomfortably at the shirt he was wearing. They weren't used to clothing from this world yet – as much as they tried, but they both knew that they had to get used to it, especially since Charming was going to be working for Paul in those clothes.

"Do you have the book?" Charming asked as she stood up and grabbed a few of the bags, one going on her back, the other two in her hand.

Some people had given them things for the baby – minus a crib and changing table, those had been provided by the shelter, and Snow was grateful to them. Slowly, they were building a life in this world, and perhaps, they would be able to live a normal life here until they could go home.

"I have it… in this bag right here," Snow said, nodding to it. "I grabbed the other ones you were interested in too. Figured it'd be good to have them all together."

"Okay, good plan," Charming said, sitting next to her. "At least we'll be out of here soon…"

Snow shrugged. "I guess… but we're not going to be out of this world for eighteen years Charming…"

Charming sighed. "I know. I want to go back too but… we have to wait. At least we're together. Just remember that. We could have been separated."

Snow shivered. The thought of being separated from her daughter and husband was terrifying.

"Come on… let's go wait for Paul to arrive," Charming whispered, wrapping an arm around her and leading her out of the room. Snow looking around to make sure that everything that was left was supposed to be there for whoever needed to stay here next.

Snow curled into Charming's shoulder as they sat at one of the free tables in the dining area. Emma cooed and gurgled as Charming set her on the table, out of harm's way. Snow smiled, looking at her innocence. She was so filled with something Snow craved – purity. With Regina after her, she had become less of a queen and more of a thief, and that was the last thing Snow wanted for Emma.

Snow smiled, adjusting the blanket and stroking Emma's soft cheek. She was such a calm baby, something Snow appreciated. It was almost like she knew she was destined for something big.

"David, Mary-Margaret? You all packed and ready to go?" Paul's voice said from across the room. Snow looked up, seeing the man waving with a large grin on his face. She felt lucky that they had found someone that was willing to take them in

"Yes Paul… we're ready," Charming said, helping Snow stand up and grabbing the bags.

Snow held Emma's carrier, putting the lighter bag on her back. "Where is Owen?" she asked curiously.

"Ah… he's speaking with his doctor right now. We'll be picking him up in a few minutes," Paul replied.

Snow frowned a little. "Doctor? Is he ill?"

The man shrugged. "In a manner of speaking, you could say. He's been through a lot lately, and he needed to talk to someone that could get through to him better than I could."

Snow was confused as to what that exactly meant, so all she did was nod, wondering what was wrong with the boy. He seemed to be fine when they'd met with them earlier in the week.

Paul led them outside to a strange thing that they learned was called a 'car'. He opened something – a storage system, they put the few bags she and Charming had managed to get in it, Paul slamming it shut after.

"Alright…" Paul said, turning back to them. "Do you folks know how to secure the baby seat in the car?"

They both shook their heads. "I'm afraid we've never… been able to afford a car," Snow said, the lie slipping out before she could think about what she was saying. She supposed it worked, because Paul nodded, lifting Emma's carrier up carefully, and putting it in the car. Snow watched carefully, not wanting Emma to get hurt, and to figure out how this was supposed to work.

"There we go," Paul said, standing back up all the way. "You both can get in now."

They looked at each other, before Snow got into the free seat next to Emma, and Charming managed to sit next to her. Paul got into the seat in front of them, and the car rumbled, making them jump a little in shock.

They moved down the road, pulling up to a building that said 'Psychiatrist' on it. Snow wondered what that meant. Paul turned around, giving them a slight smile.

"I'm going to go in there really quick and get Owen. I'll be right back, alright?"

She and Charming nodded, and Paul left the car.

Snow let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and looked at her husband. "This is… quite a machine, isn't it?" she remarked, looking over at Emma and wiping a little bit of spit from her cheek.

"It is. Gets us places faster than horse and carriage ever did," Charming replied. Snow turned back to him, and saw him looking out the window. "I'm glad we're out of that shelter though. Some of those other men… I didn't like the way they were looking at you."

She nodded in agreement. "I know. But we're out of there now… going to work on a farm. You'll enjoy that, right?"

Charming nodded. "Before Rumpelstiltskin took me away to take James' place, I… I always pictured my wife and children running around our farm after I'd inherited it from Mother… of course, that came a lot sooner than I thought it would…"

Snow felt a pang of guilt, knowing that if she hadn't fallen for King George's ploy, Ruth would still be alive. "I know Charming," she whispered. "You tried though… and she died happy."

Charming rested his head against hers. "I know. And now I have you and Emma to worry about."

Snow smiled and nodded. "You know I can take care of myself."

"Doesn't stop me from worrying about you."

Snow laughed as the doors to the car opened, Paul and Owen returning.

"Hello Owen," Snow greeted with a warm smile.

Owen though, didn't seem happy, greeting her with a slight nod. "Hello Mrs. White."

"Owen, you don't have to call me that. You can call me Mary-Margaret if you want," Snow told him.

"Oh," Owen said, his gaze turning to Charming. "Does that mean I can call you David?"

Charming nodded as the car sped up as they moved to a different road, Snow grabbing Charming's hand tighter. "Yes. David's fine," he told Owen.

"How far is the farm from where we are?" Snow asked.

"About an hour or so. Don't worry. The traffic's light this time of day," Paul explained. Snow smiled a little, pretending to understand what he meant. At least it wouldn't take so long to get to the farm.

When they arrived (it didn't feel like an hour at all) She couldn't help but notice the wide grin on Charming's face. The wide expanse of flat land was strange to her, but Charming looked right at home.

"Owen, why don't you show Mary-Margaret and David to the cottage?" Paul said. "I've got to check on the horses."

"Sure," Owen replied, quickly getting out of the car, walking toward a small cottage that was next to a larger home. Charming grabbed the heavier bags, leaving Snow to take Emma's carrier and the bag she'd filled with books.

"Home sweet home," Charming said as they gazed inside the front room.

It was small, bright, but it was together, and it was their _home_.


	5. Discoveries

A few hours later, Snow looked around the room. It looked even more homey now that she and Charming had been able to put their little touches on it. She'd gotten permission from Paul to pick some of the flowers that were growing in one of the gardens, and had placed them in a vase she'd found in one of the cabinets. The books they'd taken from the shelter had been placed on a shelf in the family room.

There was only one bedroom, but it was enough. There was room for them to move around, and for clothing-holders, and of course, for Emma's crib and changing table. They would have to worry about space when Emma got older and outgrew the crib, but perhaps then they would be in a larger home… at least, she hoped.

Charming was out learning the 'tools of the trade' as Paul had called them. Her husband had seemed quite excited, and Snow was happy for him, but she felt bored just sitting around the cottage.

So Snow sat on the sofa, the strange book on her lap, just reading through it again. It was so strange how this book existed, and not only existed, but had found its way into the hands of two of its characters, and the parents of the girl that was going to break the curse in eighteen years.

"Mary-Margaret?" she suddenly heard from the door. She looked up to find Owen standing in the doorway

Closing the book, she smiled. "Owen. What can I do for you?"

The boy shrugged, not moving from the doorway. "Can I come in?"

Snow nodded. "Of course you can."

Owen shuffled inside, closing the door behind him, and sat down next to her, looking at her with an inquisitive sort of face.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

Owen shrugged a little. "Fine… I just wanted to get to know you. Since you're going to be living on my uncle's farm and all."

Snow nodded. "Of course. What did you want to know?"

"Why were you guys in the shelter? I mean…" he scratched the back of his head. "Someone like your husband should have enough work to last him a lifetime…"

Snow froze, unsure of what to say. What reasons did people in this world have for needing to go to a homeless shelter?

"Well, you see… David and I…" Snow started, trying to think of something, anything, to say to him that wouldn't get him suspicious.

Apparently she thought too long, because Owen's frown showed that anything she thought of, wouldn't be believed by the boy, but she could try to turn it around.

"After David's mother passed away, we lost the farm… so we were homeless…" she replied. "We lost everything… and she was the last member of either of our families… because my mother died when I was a child… about your age actually, and my father just a couple years ago."

Own stared up at her. "You don't have parents either?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't…"

The fact that he had to use the word 'either' made her heart ache for him. "You must have lost your parents too… if you have to live with your uncle," she told him softly.

He nodded slowly. "You could say that…"

Snow put a hand on his shoulder. "You must feel lost and confused…" she said. "If you need anything you can come talk to me about it, okay?"

Owen nodded, and Snow smiled. "What else did you want to know about me?" she asked.

The boy opened his mouth to ask, but a wail from the bedroom had Snow jumping off the couch.

"I have to tend to Emma. I'll be right back," she told Owen with another kind smile, before she made her way into the bedroom.

* * *

The way she carefully tiptoed around the question had Owen curious as to whether or not she was telling the truth, but what she had eventually said made complete sense to him. He'd heard stories about people losing farms – not good at all… but even so, there was something strange about both her and David.

When Emma began crying and Mary-Margaret left to take care of her, he opened the large book that was next to him out of curiosity. It was called _Once Upon a Time_. Sounded like a book of fairytales, but not one he'd ever seen before.

He opened the book near the middle, where Mary-Margaret had placed a piece of paper as a bookmark, and stared at the page.

Regina.

Even if it was a drawing, an illustration in a book, Owen would recognize her face anywhere, and the evil that radiated from the page.

How was it possible that Mary-Margaret knew Regina… or that Regina would be in a book of fairytales at all?

Flipping the page, Owen's jaw dropped open.

Mary-Margaret and David were on the page.

He wasn't crazy. He knew he wasn't crazy, but this was more proof than he'd ever thought he'd be able to have.

He gazed at the writing, and stared. This was a continuation of the Snow White story he'd read while he was really young.

Mary-Margaret was Snow White… David was Prince Charming.

"Owen, would you like to ho – " he heard from the bedroom, Mary-Margaret (Snow?) had returned, little Emma in her arms.

"I knew I wasn't crazy!" he said, a smile breaking onto his face. "You're Snow White, and Regina is the Evil Queen! I knew it was all real!"

She seemed confused. "Regina? How do you know her?"

"She's the reason my dad's gone! We were there, in the town… she was the mayor," he explained. "She seemed so nice at first… and then she took my dad away when I said I didn't want to stay with her!"

The woman stared at him. "Oh Gods, Owen, I am so sorry. No one deserves that."

"So it's true then? You're Snow White, and David's Prince Charming… and Regina's the Evil Queen…"

Mary-Margaret nodded slowly. "Yes… it's true. Every fairytale character you know about is true… we live in a world called the Enchanted Forest… but there are other worlds."

Owen was confused. "How is it possible?"

Mary-Margaret sat down next to him, rocking Emma gently. "Stories have to come from somewhere, don't they?"

"But I don't understand… your story is hundreds of years old… how can you still be so young?" Owen asked.

The woman shrugged. "I don't know. I really don't. I suppose it's just… one of the mysteries of this world."

Owen frowned a little. This world was much more confusing than he had ever thought possible. Fairytales existed, and now he finally had proof that his father was indeed being held hostage in a strange town with a psychopathic woman in charge of it.

"So… how did you get here then? If she cast a curse on everyone… shouldn't you and David have been a part of that?" Owen asked.

Mary-Margaret let out a sigh, and it was clear she didn't want to talk about it. "Why don't you read about it in the book, Owen? It explains everything."

"R-really?" Owen asked, still in shock that this could actually be happening. While he'd thought he'd be able to find someone who knew about Storybrooke, and knew who Regina was… finding out that Regina was the Evil Queen, Miss 'Mirror mirror on the wall' and poisoned apple was just… something else entirely.

Mary-Margaret nodded. "Yes. If you want to borrow the book you may… Charming and I are… going to use it to help Emma understand what she has to do."

Owen frowned. "What do you mean?"

The woman flipped carefully to the back of the book. "Emma is the Savior… and when she turns eighteen, she's going to be able to break the curse…"

"How?"

"I don't know," Mary-Margaret replied, bouncing the squirming Emma. "The only way I've ever seen a curse break has been with True Love's Kiss… it can break any curse, after all…"

Owen took a deep breath, figuring that since he and Mary-Margaret were revealing what had to be the biggest secrets of their lives, he had nothing else left to lose. "So… I'm assuming you don't know what a psychiatrist is…" he started carefully.

Mary-Margaret shook her head. "I don't."

Owen shifted. "They're doctors that can prescribe medicine to people they deem crazy. Regina… she took my dad I escaped… but when I tried to get help, I couldn't get back into the town. People thought I was insane, they think that my dad abandoned me, when I know he wouldn't… so my uncle's been making me see this guy… this doctor. He tries to give me medicine that he says will get rid of my delusions, but I don't take them because I know what I'm saying is true… and now you've confirmed it for me. Thank you."

Mary-Margaret's face shifted to one of alarm. "Owen, you know we can't say anything to people, right? When David and I had just arrived to the shelter… they thought I was crazy for telling them I was Snow White… because we obviously arrived in our traditional clothing from home… and they threatened to take me to some place… to take Emma away until we were 'well' again…"

Owen stared at her, his face echoing hers in alarm. "How did you convince them you weren't?"

'I remembered what David had told the woman that runs the shelter… that we were at a costume party and got lost in the woods."

He smiled a little. "Smart…"

A knock on them door had Mary-Margaret slamming the book closed one-handedly, and Owen looking at it in fear.

"Owen? It's getting late. Time for bed…" his uncle called from the closed door.

He looked at the small clock hanging on one of the walls – it was nearly nine, and they needed to get up early to pick the crops that were finished growing. His uncle liked to pick things by hand.

"I won't say anything to anyone about who you really are, Mary-Margaret," Owen whispered, standing up. "I'm just glad to know I'm not crazy… coming Uncle Paul!"

With another smile cast toward the woman, Owen left with his uncle to the main house, the book clutched to his chest, and his heart lighter than it'd been in a very long time.


	6. Christmas

"You've been doing very well, Owen," Doctor Jones said, six months after his confrontation with Snow White had uncovered the truth – that he wasn't insane, that his father really had been taken by a woman named Regina, and that there really was something wrong in the town called Storybrooke.

He still needed to act, but now that he knew the truth, and had people on his side that were willing to help him, even if he needed to wait eighteen years, it was easy, and his uncle and Doctor Jones bought into the rouse that he was no longer imagining things, a broken boy scarred by both of his parents gone from his life. Although he _was_ scarred from both of his parents being gone, and the things he'd seen, he just wasn't crazy.

"Thank you Doctor Jones," he replied. "Ever since Mary-Margaret and David came to live on the farm… I've just been happier."

"Owen, do you look at this woman like a mother?"

Honestly? He did. Snow White was much more than people gave her credit for. She was kind, but firm, and an actual person, rather than a damsel in distress, and she treated him like her son. That made Owen feel good about himself. He missed his mother terribly, and while he knew Snow White wasn't his mother, she was the best mother-figure he could ever think of having.

"I do," he admitted. "Might be because she's a mother herself…"

Doctor Jones smiled. "It seems like she and the man have been good influences on you, Owen."

More than Doctor Jones would ever understand.

"I do believe, Owen, with the progress you've made, that you no longer need to speak with me. After all, you don't believe in this… Storybrooke thing," Doctor Jones said.

Owen's heart pounded with joy. "And the pills?"

"We'll begin weaning you off of them."

Oh thank God. No more pretending to take them. Owen would look forward to that.

"Thanks, Doctor Jones," Owen replied with another small smile.

It was near Christmas – the first one Snow White and David would be spending… ever. Owen was pretty excited, because Christmas was his favorite holiday. It would be hard for him though, without either of his parents, but he would be strong. He had to be strong.

Doctor Jones smiled. "I think that's all I needed to speak with you about, Owen. I'll follow you out to tell your uncle the news."

Owen nodded, understanding. For once, he looked forward to Doctor Jones speaking to his uncle.

"Well Paul, Owen has come remarkably far. I'm very proud of how well he's come," Doctor Jones told his uncle as they stood in the hallway. "I think he's doing well enough to lower the dosage of medication… and I would like a follow-up appointment after the new year."

His uncle smiled widely. "Excellent. Thank you so much. So I won't be hearing about that Storybrooke place anymore?"

"No Uncle Paul…" Owen replied. He meant it too – he knew it was dangerous to talk about Storybrooke when his uncle was anywhere near he, Snow, and David.

"Let's go Owen, we've got to get back before the storm hits, and it's a long drive. Thank you again, Doctor Jones. I'll call whenever I get the chance."

Owen nodded. With winter came winter storms, which could put them in danger if they didn't get back in time and got trapped on the freeway. He did not want to think about that.

Owen followed his uncle to the car, shivering at the cold air. Ah, New Jersey weather.

When he grew up, he wanted to move to Florida to get away from the cold and the snow.

"I'm proud of you, you know," Paul said as they pulled onto the freeway, back to the farm. "For sticking with the therapy and for managing to beat your demons… maybe someday you'll remember what really happened to your father and we'll be able to bring whoever took him to justice."

The boy nodded with a smile, his eyes hiding the fact that he _did_ remember who took his father, where to find her, and the fact that she was the Evil Queen from the fairytale called Snow White. Oh, and that Snow White and her prince were living on their farm with them.

"I hope so," he lied. "I hope he's okay."

That part wasn't a lie. He was really worried about his father. Considering the lengths Regina had gone to get him to agree to go with her, he was scared that she would have killed his father because she didn't get what she wanted.

Eighteen years was a long time to wait… he hoped Regina would be kind, just this once, and leave his father alive.

"I do too, Owen. I do too…" Uncle Paul replied.

It was a slow, silent drive back to the farm as the snow began falling softly, reminding Owen of something out of the fairytale book Snow White had.

He sighed with relief as they made it back safely, without much trouble. He always hated when they had to drive through the snow and ice in order to get back.

"Welcome back!" David greeted, waving from the porch. Considering how badly it was snowing, he looked way too happy to be there. "How was your last appointment, Owen?"

"It was great, David. He said I can stop taking the medication because of my progress. I only need to visit him in January after the new year and I'll be done!" Owen explained.

David looked like a proud father, and grinned at him. "That's fantastic. Congratulations Owen. You've really been working hard, haven't you?"

Owen nodded. It wasn't a lie, really. He had been working hard to try and convince his uncle that Storybrooke was just something he'd made up, and try to do it so it didn't look so sudden. Luckily though, the plan had worked, and Owen was finally free, and Doctor Jones' services would go to someone that actually needed them.

"Well, let's get you back inside for some dinner, eh Owen?" his uncle said. "David, did you guys eat already?"

David nodded. "We ate while you were gone. We have it warm still if you guys want some? There's plenty left."

"What'd you make?" Owen asked, smiling at him.

"Mary made some chicken and rice soup. Perfect for how the weather turned," David replied. "We warmed up some of the bread you gave us too. It was fantastic."

The trio made their way to the small cottage that Owen had helped decorate for Christmas. The two fairytale characters didn't understand what Christmas was about, and Owen tried to help them understand, but what Snow had understood was decorating, and the woman had been all for it. That, and the presents.

* * *

Snow awoke to a pounding on the door, Owen's voice coming through, but she couldn't hear what he was saying. Yawning, the woman pulled on her bath robe, going to the door.

"Good morning, Owen," she said with a smile. "What's the emergency?"

"It's Christmas morning!" he replied with a wide smile. "Don't you want Emma to open her presents?"

She laughed a little, ushering him in before closing the door, blocking out the cold winter air. "Where's your uncle?" she asked.

"He's cooking breakfast! Gingerbread pancakes and bacon. Dad always made it Christmas morning."

Snow gave him a sad smile. "It's nice of your uncle to continue on with the tradition for you."

"And we want to share it with the rest of you. But only after Emma opens her presents!"

Snow laughed. "Emma's asleep, Owen. How can I – "

But a familiar cry pierced the air, and Snow chuckled. "I guess your wish is Emma's command," she remarks, standing and going to the other bedroom, lifting her daughter out of her crib, her husband yawning and rolling over to look at them.

"Good morning," he murmured. "She alright?"

Snow nodded with a smile. "She's fine. I think she just wanted to know what was going on." Emma wasn't wet, nor did she appear to be hungry.

"What is going on?" Charming asked.

"Owen's here… he invited us to the main house for breakfast. But only after we open Emma's gifts for her."

Snow wasn't sure what the point of it was, considering Emma was too young to understand what was going on, and she and Charming would be the ones opening the gifts for her, but it made Owen excited, and that was what was important right now. Owen had been hurt by Regina, which was inexcusable.

"Shall we open Emma's gifts then?" he said with a smile, getting out of bed. "I'm hungry."

She laughed a little. "When aren't you hungry?"

"That's not fair."

Snow simply smiled innocently and walked out of the room with Emma, back to the living room where Owen was still waiting.

"Morning David," Owen said when he noticed David's appearance. "Morning Emma…" he reached up, tickling the small girl, laughing as she giggled.

The family took a seat on the couch as Owen launched himself at the small tree, presents scattered underneath it.

* * *

Hours later, Snow lay on the couch, her head in Charming's lap as Emma sat on the floor, playing quietly with her presents.

Well, as quiet as a six month old could play with toys.

"So… that was our first Christmas…" Charming remarked, watching Emma carefully.

Snow nodded. "Indeed it was… I had fun. Did you?"

He nodded. "Yes… it was nice to see some of the traditions of this world… might have to take a couple home with us."

"What do you mean?" Snow asked.

"Gift exchanges… and family time," he said. "I think those would be good to have in our kingdom."

Snow nodded and smiled. "When we get home…"

"We will get home."

"Mama!" a small voice suddenly said.

Snow's eyes widened, whipping around to face her small daughter, who was looking back at her, giggling.

"Emma, did you just say 'Mama'?" Snow asked, not knowing if her daughter would understand anything she just said.

"Mama!" Emma repeated.

Snow felt tears in her eyes as she leapt from the couch, scooping Emma into her arms. "That's right! I'm Mama!"

Owen had said Christmas was a time for miracles… and Snow supposed they weren't exempt from that. It was a miracle that she was here, able to hear her daughter's first word.

She wouldn't trade it for the world.


	7. Pregnant?

Seventeen year old Emma Snow put her head in her hands. Her parents were going to kill her – absolutely kill her. She was supposed to be a savior, be groomed to save her parent's friends, and the people from her homeland. She was supposed to have magic (though, in a land without it, it was hard to practice something that couldn't appear), she was supposed to be a fighter – to take down the Evil Queen Regina and break the curse to send everyone home.

 

She was _not_ supposed to get pregnant on the night of her prom.

 

She'd gone with a guy she met at work, Neal Cassidy. He was a couple years older than her, but they'd been very close. Neal had said he could give her everything, and Emma, being as foolish as she had, wanted to have one more burst of fun before her whole… savior thing had to begin.

 

Now, she would be bringing a baby into the world, because of a one-night stand on prom night. He'd left the day after, a hastily scribbled note given to her when she'd gotten to work.

 

But now she was sitting in her best friend's car, holding a positive pregnancy test in her hand as they drove back to the farm her father worked on.

 

"What are you going to say?" her friend, Allie, asked.

 

"I don't know," was all she could reply, slightly muffled by her tilted head. "The truth, I guess." What else could she say? She couldn't exactly deny being pregnant – her mother had known something was off with her for a few days now.

 

"Your parents will understand," Allie said. "I know it. They're good people."

 

She had no idea just how 'good' her parents were.

 

"God, I can't believe we weren't more careful," Emma said, managing to lift her head up and look at her friend, who was (thankfully) concentrating on the road.

 

"It was prom night, Emma… I'm sure you guys weren't thinking straight."

 

Emma had a feeling that was supposed to make her feel better, but it really didn't.

 

All too soon, they pulled up to the farm, her father just putting the finishing touches on something – oh, right.

 

They had been re-doing the cottage, adding onto it from the two-room (plus bathroom) little thing that it used to be when she was born. All too soon though, her mother had fallen pregnant again, and they needed to either move, or expand the cottage. Moving though, wasn't an option then, so Paul had allowed them to build onto the cottage.

 

"Emma, Allie," her father greeted them with a wide smile, gesturing to the newly-planted bushes outside the cottage. "What do you think?"

 

Emma gave him a small smile. "It… it looks great Dad."

 

"Yeah Mr. Snow, I really like the rose bushes!" Allie replied, leaning against her car. "I can't stay though. I need to get to work. I'll talk to you later Emma."

 

Emma nodded. "Bye Allie."

 

With an encouraging smile, Allie got back in her car and drove off.

 

Her own small smile faltered, and she saw her father frown. "What's wrong?"

 

"I… I need to talk to you and Mom…" she said quietly.

 

"What's wrong?" he asked, leading her into the house. "Snow!"

 

Her mother entered the room from the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel. "What's wrong?"

 

"Emma has… something to tell us."

 

The concerned look her father had instantly appeared on her mother's face as well. "What's the matter, Emma?"

 

Emma sat down on the couch, wanting to just curl into a ball and sob, but knowing she couldn't yet. She had to get through telling her parents what was wrong.

 

"I… I slept with Neal that night at p-prom," she whispered.

 

"Oh honey…" her mother said, dropping next to her and rubbing her back. "I know I always taught you that you should wait until you find the one, but – "

 

"That's not all, Mom," she said, tears beginning to leak out of her eyes. "I… he - he got me pregnant!"

 

Her parents went silent, stunned.

                                                    

"Oh Emma!" her mother eventually said, taking the shaking teenager into her arms. "Shh… everything will be okay… I promise…"

 

"How am I supposed to fight Regina if I… have a baby?" she asked, swallowing tight through her tears.

 

"Shh," her mother said. "Don't think about that now. We're here. We'll figure out how to get through this."

 

Emma sniffled trying to take deep breaths as her mother rubbed her back. Her father though, was unusually quiet, and Emma wasn't sure she liked that.

 

"Dad?" she whispered.

 

"Where is he?"

 

"Who?"

 

"Neal."

 

"Oh no, Dad, don't – "

 

"He upset you, Emma."

 

"He's gone, Dad, alright? He's gone! When I got to work the day after prom I got a note and he is gone. I don't know where he is!" Not that she cared. She didn't need him. She was the savior after all. She didn't need Neal holding her back.

 

Her father let out a sigh and leaned down to hug her.

 

Emma bit her lip, burying her head in his shoulder. She didn't know what the future held, especially now that there was a baby on the way, but she knew she had a job to do, and she couldn't let anything stand in her way.

 

Not even a baby.

 

"A grandchild," her mother whispered from next to her. "I can't believe I'm going to be a grandmother. To think… we nearly lost you… and now we get to see you welcome in our grandchild."

 

Emma smiled, hugging her mother again. "Oh Mom… don't think about that. Just think… soon, we'll be in Storybrooke, and I'll be breaking the curse. You can see Red and the dwarfs again."

 

Her mother nodded slowly. "Yes, I know... I want that so much. I miss Red, and Granny and... everyone."

 

Emma gave her mother a small smile. "Then you must have faith that I can do this, no matter what happens."

 

They couldn't afford to falter in their hope.

 

* * *

 

 

Snow wrung her hands nervously as she and Charming stood in the nearly-empty cottage. Today was the day. Emma's birthday.

 

The day they were destined to go to the town called Storybrooke to save their old friends. She hoped everything was okay with them – they weren't able to talk to them in eighteen years. That was far too long in Snow's opinion.

 

"Are you alright, Snow?" her husband asked, kissing her head softly.

 

Snow nodded. "Nervous, but I suppose that is to be expected. How are Eva and James doing?"

 

"They're excited, actually."

 

Their two younger children, fourteen and twelve, had been unexpected, but a welcome blessing, though it made Snow incredibly nervous to think about bringing two more children to Storybrooke, encountering the Gods only knew what, but she also knew it was something that had to happen. Charming had promised they would be kept safe, in the mobile home they'd earned enough money to purchase.

 

She, Charming, and their two younger children would stay hidden in the Storybrooke woods (Snow knew Regina wasn't much of a person for the woods anymore – especially if she was the mayor and had to deal with… whatever it was mayors did) while Emma and Owen went into the town to try and find Owen's father and break the curse.

 

"Excited?" she asked.

 

Charming nodded. "Eva thinks it'll be fun to camp, and James is just looking forward to the adventure. Whatever it's going to be."

 

"Sometimes I think he's too much like you," Snow replied, shaking her head a little.

 

"What's that supposed to mean?"

 

"Nothing, nothing at all."

 

Emma arrived with Owen, who was holding a suitcase. Snow gave her daughter and the man she considered to be a son a small smile. "Are you both ready?"

 

"As ready as I can be," Emma replied with a shrug.

 

Owen though, seemed to be more enthusiastic about this. "I've been ready for this moment for eighteen years."

 

It wasn't surprising at all to Snow.

 

"Let's get on the road then," Charming said as Owen helped Emma into the mobile home. Eva and James were already inside.

 

Snow let out a sigh as she gazed at the cottage one last time. This had been the place they had been the safest and most stable. No Regina, no wars, no Rumpelstiltskin… no nothing, aside from the occasional little spat between the two of them, and the endless fights their children had with each other. This was the place Emma, Eva and James had taken their first steps, said their first words, and lost their first teeth…

 

Leaving was hard, but Snow knew it was for the best. They did not belong in this world. She knew that. They belonged back in the Enchanted Forest with those they loved and grew up with. They needed to save them all.

 

And they would. Together.


	8. Roadtrip

"Are we there yet?"

"Are we there yet?"

The identical questions coming from her children were driving Snow crazy. She knew that it was a long drive to Maine, but still… they had things for the kids to do while they were driving.

"No, we're not," Snow replied, shaking her head slightly as she looked out the large window. Emma was driving ahead of them, while Owen drove the giant RV. Charming hadn't been comfortable driving such a large thing – quite honestly it was a miracle Charming could drive even a tractor.

"I'm bored Mom," James said with a sigh, the book Snow had given him open to the first page – which it had been since they'd left the driveway.

"I know you are, James," she replied. "But we'll be there soon, I'm sure."

She hoped so, anyway.

"We should be there in a couple hours, don't worry," Owen said. "I'll take you to the campsite Dad and I were at – it's at the very outskirts of town. You'll be safe there, because no one in town can get out."

Snow shivered – she didn't like the thought of her friends being trapped there at all. Though, she thought back to Rumpelstiltskin said when they were finding out about the curse was true, then Granny should still be alive… and Granny was getting up there in years before the curse hit.

"We'll be alright Snow," Charming replied. "She won't be able to get to us until the curse is broken."

"And then we fight. Again," she replied, shaking her head. "I was such a fool Charming. If I had just kept her locked up in the dungeon, none of this would have happened."

"Don't you dare blame yourself," Charming replied. "You see the good in people. It was only natural."

"Me seeing the good in people is what has brought us here, Charming! The minute I saw that dead group of villagers I should have known that there was no good in her and that she deserved to be locked away forever," Snow cried. "It's my fault this happened."

"Don't say that Snow…" she heard Owen say. "Please. It's not your fault that woman has no self control. I don't know the full story between you two, but I know that whatever happened… you never meant it to. You were the mother I didn't have."

His kind words only brought her to tears, and she sniffled into Charming's shirt. "Thank you O-Owen. That's so nice of you to say."

"I'm going to go by Greg, by the way. When we get there. Just in case. Emma and I talked about it. We're siblings just driving through town on our way to Canada. Emma and Greg Snow."

Charming nodded. "Sounds reasonable. Do you think Regina will remember you?"

Owen shrugged as well as he could as he tried to steer the large mobile home. "I hope not. I think the shaved head will deter her for a bit. Last time she saw me I had a full head of hair."

Snow rested against Charming. "I wish we could go with you into town. I would love to be able to see Red and Granny again…"

"It's too dangerous… if Regina still has her memories of the Enchanted Forest, she'll try to kill us in an instant. The kids can't lose you," Charming murmured in her ear.

"They-they won't lose me," Snow replied, not at all liking that thought. Her children? Lose her? That would be the worst thing she could ever do to her children. Whatever was going to happen, one thing was certain.

They couldn't lose.

* * *

Hours later, Owen pulled off the road, into the wilderness. Snow realized they had to be close to Storybrooke. Close to the curse breaking… close to seeing their best friends again.

Charming squeezed her hand as the camper came to a stop.

Owen stood up, going to the door. "I'll let you guys say goodbye to Emma…" he said, going outside. Their eldest daughter appeared moments later.

Tears filled Snow's eyes again as she pulled Emma close to her. She didn't know what was going to hurt worse – leaving her pregnant daughter to break a curse, or knowing that her daughter was going to be only a mile or so away, and knowing that she couldn't get to her.

She felt her daughter's arms wrap around her tight. "Don't worry, Mom, Dad… I'll be alright. I'm with Owen… but how will I know what to do?"

Snow rubbed her back as Charming pulled their daughter close.

"Keep one thing in mind," Snow said. "True Love's Kiss can break any curse…"

Her daughter snorted a little. "Now I just need to find my own Prince Charming…" she said softly. Snow could tell that she was hurt by the jerk who had left her to raise their child as a single parent. But not alone. Emma was never alone.

"You'll find him, sweetheart," Charming replied. "You must have faith."

"I don't know, Dad… we're not back in the Enchanted Forest where you know who your true love is the minute you meet them. This world isn't like that," Emma replied.

"Oh Princess…" Snow replied, hugging her.

"I'm not much of a princess am I?" her daughter snorted.

"And that's not your fault," Charming said. "But you're going to be when you break the curse and we are able to go home."

"This was… this was my home though. What about my friends?"

Snow frowned, before rubbing Emma's back. "We'll figure that out when the time comes, Emma," she said softly. "Don't worry…" They wouldn't let their daughter be unhappy, no matter how badly they wanted to go back to their home world.

"Thank Mom… Dad… I'll keep in touch somehow."

"The birds. Remember what I taught you…" Snow said. "They can be used to send messages. Use them if you need to."

Her daughter nodded. "I love you both…"

"And we love you."

Emma smiled, rubbing her eyes, before she made her way over to her siblings. Snow allowed them a few moments of privacy, hearing Emma mention something about bravery, and not bothering she and Charming if they were bored (something Snow had to chuckle at), before she saw the hug, Eva not being the more reluctant of the pair to let her older sister go.

"Are you ready to do this, Emma?"

Emma nodded. "Yes… I've been preparing for this my entire life."

"Just remember what I said about Regina."

"She's ruthless. I know, Mom. But she doesn't know what I am capable of. She hurt you and Dad… and then all of your friends. She needs to be taken down."

Snow nodded, glad that her daughter realized that. She knew her daughter would be able to break the curse. She was strong, the daughter of a prince and princess who had fought long and hard for their own happy ending.

"Good luck Emma," Eva called out.

"Yeah! Kick Regina's ass!" James chimed in.

Snow snapped her head toward the boy. "Don't say that word, James. I've told you before, that is not what a prince says."

"Sorry Mom," the boy muttered.

Her eldest daughter laughed. "You guys know just what to do to cheer me up. See you guys."

Snow sniffled as the door swung shut behind her daughter. For the first time in her life, she had to let her daughter go, and, while she knew it was coming, Snow was scared. This wasn't just letting her daughter go off to college, or get married… this was asking her to defeat Regina and break a curse that had swept their family and friends away from their true home.

"She'll be okay," Charming murmured in her ear. "Just have faith Snow…"

Just have faith… Snow nodded, but she knew it would be easier said than done. Emma was her daughter, and if anything happened to her…

No.

She liked the 'just have faith' mantra better.


End file.
